


Cutie Pi

by sugarblossom



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Aromantic, Asexual Character, Baking, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Dialogue, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Honestly I find more and more tags that fit with most of my other fics, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Talking, White Day, is a tag???, is also one???, is definitely another tag that applies to all my other fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23134156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarblossom/pseuds/sugarblossom
Summary: Ash joins Brock in one of his baking sessions!
Relationships: Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Takeshi | Brock
Comments: 9
Kudos: 105





	Cutie Pi

“Congratulations.”

Brock startled, staring at Ash with an apron on. “Ash! I was  _ not _ expecting you of all people. And shouldn’t I be telling you that?” Ash shrugged, and Pikachu waved from his shoulder.

“...Whatcha making?” Pikachu also chirped in curiosity.

With a smirk on his face, Brock asked while peeling and dicing two apples, “Why? You hungry?”

Ash and Pikachu both rubbed their head, chuckling. “Maybe.” Brock mixed half a cup of crystals with a pinch of powder. “Ooooh what’s that?” Pikachu cooed, patting Ash’s cheeks.

“It’s called sugar and cinnamon, Ash.” Rolling his eyes when Ash mock-scowled at him, Brock poured the mixture over the apples. Pikachu wriggled his butt, preparing to leap onto the kitchen counter, only to be blocked by Brock. 

“Nu-uh, you know the rules! They haven’t changed since last time I cooked, Pikachu.”

Ash took Pikachu back, stroking his back while he pouted. “Yeah, you wouldn’t want to get on Brock’s bad side, do you?” Pikachu rolled his eyes, hopping onto the ground and trying to drag Ash to the living room. They exchanged glances, and after a few silent moments, Pikachu ran off with a nod. 

Ash watched Brock toss the apples in the saucepan before shifting over to the stove. Brock cooked the apples, glancing back at Ash with furrowed eyebrows every so often. Ash was still silent. 

“What brings you here?” Brock asked out of the blue.

Blinking, Ash smiled, fidgeting with the edge of his cap. “Oh, want me to leave?”

“Do you need to be somewhere?” Ash glanced off, shaking his head. Brock stared at him. “Well, you’re always welcome to stay. If you washed your hands of course.”

“I… Yeah, thanks.” After a few silent minutes, Brock mashed the soft apples until they were in small chunks, setting it aside. Ash simply watched.

After taking out a ball of dough from the freezer and placing it on a lightly floured cutting board, Brock started, “Ash, are you-”

“I’m fine.”

Brock froze. “That’s not- What’s going on, Ash?”

Ash held his hands out. “Oh no no no, don’t worry about it, it’s not important. Can’t I just visit my dear friend?”

Brock rolled out the dough, handing Ash a circular cookie cutter. “So all those times you’ve called me because you had a nightmare weren’t ‘important’?”

“No.” 

“They were to me.”

Ash bit his lip, hesitantly pressing the cookie cutter into the corner of the dough. Brock only stared at him. Silence. Ash pursed his lips, cutting another circle in the dough. “Victini And Yveltal.”

“Unova and Kalos?”

Ash nodded. “Yeah you know me, always getting into trouble. At least I didn’t die for real!” Brock flinched. “Sorry.” Ash lifted one of the cut out circles, placing it next to the chunks of apples. 

“Wanna tell me what happened?”

Ash paused. “Actually?” Brock nodded, scooping some fruit onto one of the circles and moistening the edge with water like with an envelope. “...It was sorta like what actually happened. I felt confined to a fortress or castle, and it just felt colder and colder. But I didn’t see Victini. I didn’t even see Pikachu or Yveltal.” Brock raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. “So yeah. It was so cold, I felt myself turning to ice. But it wasn’t ice. It was stone.”

“...Wh-”

“I don’t know, Brock. I really don’t.”

“Confined to a-”

“That actually happened.” Ash scrunched up the remaining dough, fidgeting with it. “Got shot up into space, you know.”

“I didn’t.”

Ash watched Brock fold the dough in half, pressing the edges together with a fork and furrowed eyebrows. “Ah… But I didn’t get turned to stone!” Brock froze for a moment. “Isn’t it selfish? Pikachu was the one who got turned to stone in Kalos, yet I’m the one....”

“Still, you didn’t say anything.” It wasn’t an accusation. Ash’s heart would probably hurt less if it was, though. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be- It doesn’t matter.” Ash set the ball of dough aside, copying Brock as he made the little pastries.

“...Why do you think I traveled with you for so long? Do you really think I don’t care?”

“It’s not as important as-”

Ash startled when Brock stared at him. “ _ Nope _ .”

“I’m just being a bother-”

“You’re not.”

“But I’m not as important as…you know!”

Brock raised an eyebrow, washing his hands free of flour before pouring oil into a fryer. “That’s wrong. Friendship isn’t less important than dating.”

“Still surprised about that.” Brock only deadpanned at Ash. “...How would you feel if I said I don’t want to be in a relationship?”

“Is that-”

“Not because of your horrible flirting skills. I know what relationships are, I’m just not interested in….” Ash’s eyes widened as he panicked. “I’m not saying I’m incapable of love of course! I really do admire Professor Kukui, and I really do love my pokemon and friends and family! I know I’ve never been in a romantic relation, but….”

Brock had a fond smile on his face. “Totally valid.”

“This coming from the person who was  _ always _ looking for a significant other.” 

Brock laughed. “But that’s not you. In the end, there’s more to life than romantic relationships. You don’t need someone else to validate your own happiness, and you don’t have to invest all of your time and effort into someone else.” Ash dropped a pie into the fryer, side-eyeing Brock. “Don’t give me that look. There’s nothing wrong with romantic relationships. They’re not inferior or useless or bad, but romantic love isn’t the only kind of love that matters. If at all in your life.”

Ash paused for a moment, before grinning. “Are you gonna get sappy on me?”

“Man, should I?” Brock asked, hiding a smile when Ash rolled his eyes. “I’m just saying, it’s alright. Your worth isn’t determined by romance. If you don’t want to get a significant other, I support you.” Brock ruffled Ash’s hair, eliciting a grumble and smile from him.

After a minute, Brock flipped the amber-colored pie over, grabbing a few paper towels. Ash curiously stared at the pastry. “Is it weird to say I love food more than the idea of sex?”

“Nah. And I’m gonna give you one of these pies, don’t worry,” Brock said with a roll of his eyes. “Oh, do you love food more than, who did you mention beforehand again, than Professor Kukui?”

Ash mock gasped before giving a thoughtful hum. “I don’t know… I mean, I don’t  _ need _ Professor Kukui-” Brock burst out laughing, making Ash grin as well. “But yeah, he’s really great.”

“You deserve it.” They exchanged knowing looks. Brock scooped the pie out, placing it on the paper towel. “Alola had been good for you.”

Ash poked at the fried apple pie, slowly dragging it away with an innocent smile. “I guess so!”

Brock sweatdropped when Ash ate the pie, burning his mouth. “You are still so dumb, Ash,” he fondly said, handing Ash a glass of cold water before pecking his forehead. 

“Love you too, Bro-ck!”

“I’m not broke,  _ excuse _ you.”

Ash burst out laughing, tackling Brock in a hug. 

**Author's Note:**

> No matter what you may live for (Your raison d’etre, as they say!), I hope your lives are lived well! Stay safe out there!  
> Random trivia: 02/14 is Valentine’s Day, while 03/14 is White Day as well as Pie Day!  
> Also, the recipe “used” in this fic is [this one!](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12680/fried-apple-pies/) Don’t actually know how good it is, this is just the first result that showed up.  
> Last second addition! "Your soulmate is your complement, not your missing piece" -Garnet from Steven universe


End file.
